Monday, June 13, 2016

Stardust, Always Interview With Stacey Whitmire

Her story Bare Bones can be found in the Stardust,
Always anthology.

What genre do you read?

I
usually read within the Fantasy/Fiction genres. My favorite book is Name of the
Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, followed by Empress (Godspeaker Series) by Karen
Miller, and sooo much more; I’ll save you with a list and leave you with my top
two highly recommended. I also read creative non-fiction on subjects that
interest me, some thrillers, romantics, and YA. Really whatever strikes my
fancy at the time.

What genres do you write?

I
tend to write in the same genre that I read and yes, that includes the vast
range of diversity. But primarily Fantasy/Fiction.

Where else can readers find your
work?

Currently,
only in Stardust, Always.:) I have many
other pieces that I have been working on over the years, and I think that being
a part of Stardust, Always has finally given me the push I needed to believe
that people will like my work and that I should publish. Also, the feeling of
accomplishment for doing something that I love has overloaded me with
excitement and joy. I finally have the fruits of my labor in a physical copy of
a book, and I didn’t realize how amazing that would feel. I am, now, a publishedauthor. I can say that. It is true. And it is awesome.

What drove you to write for this
anthology?

My
battle with cancer last year, my grandfather dying of cancer this year, wanting
to be a part of something larger and bigger than myself after everything that I
have been through. And now that I am still battling cancer, it somehow means
even more to me and I am hoping that this book and my story will fill others
hearts and souls; help them feel comforted, just like it does me.

How long have you participated in Nanowrimo
and the community?

I
started out in Nanowrimo in 2006, the year I graduated high school. However, I
have only won Nanowrimo once (I think it was 2007 or 2008). The year I won nano
is the year I “plotted.” Every other year, however, I was a pantser. I tend to
figure out where the story is going as I write it based off a generalized idea
or vision. But I have learned that plotting and having a general idea of the
overall story arch actually really helps when stuck/blocked. Unfortunately, I
have not participated the last few years due to my circumstances, but I have
enjoyed being a part of the community and seeing everyone’s excitement.

Your story- is it part of a larger
series or freestanding?

It
is freestanding. I specifically wanted to do something different for this
anthology and I spent a few weeks wondering what I was going to write. I looked
up quotes by David Bowie and Alan Rickman. I thought hard about what I had been
through. I thought about cancer and life. I thought: what do I want other
people to think about my story after they have finished reading it? Once I had
that thought, I knew what I was writing. I knew it had to be about the human
condition. How fragile, how strong, how crazy, we all are. One of my Beta
Reader feedbacks—that absolutely made my day—was when they described my story
as “delightfully creepy”.

If you could ever meet a fictional
character, who would it be?

Kvothe.
From The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Writing buddy?

Not
currently. But my good friend Holly was instrumental in helping me finish this
short story for the anthology. Without her encouragement I may never have
finished this story. I am forever indebted to her.

Coffee, tea, or other?

Both
and Other.

Morning or night person?

Morning.
I love it when I have time and quiet in the morning to start out my day. If the
weather is nice there really is nothing better than sitting outside on my
porch, maybe with a hot beverage or juice, and a book or my writing.

Plotter or Pantser?

Mostly
a Pantser, but playing with plotting ;)

One fun fact?

Randomly,
both my cat and dog are black and white (dog is a Border Collie) and when I
adopted them they both had the name “Oreo”. They are now named Paco (cat, named
after a Bulgarian who I never want to forget) and Meena (dog).

Fun fact about the story?

I
realized my story while driving to my friend’s house to use my spare key (she
had locked herself out). I was driving slack jawed, wide eyed, and could barely
focus on what was going on around me because I had a story unfolding in my
head. I wrote 1600 words that first night.

What question do you wish people
would ask about you or your writing?

Mostly
I don’t want them to ask me anything. I want them to tell me. What did they get
from it? What feelings did it make them feel? What was your favorite part? What
was the most gut wrenching (if any)? What was weird about it? I want them to
tell me. What did you feel?